


Plus One

by upthenorthmountain (aw264641)



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-12 01:07:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 5,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16863370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aw264641/pseuds/upthenorthmountain
Summary: This AU started in my other story To Have and To Hold, and this has all the continuations and drabbles etc that I've previously posted on tumblr.





	1. A week later

“So! Did you like the surprise I left for you at your table? Your dining companion?”

Alison’s eyes were sparkling with mischief. Anna laughed.

“I knew you did it on purpose.”

“Well, why not? And I happen to know you DID like it. Gemma told me what happened. Said she saw the two of you outside with your tongues down each other’s throats.”

Anna blushed and said hurriedly, “He’s taking me out. On Friday.”

“I knew it!” Alison exclaimed triumphantly. “I knew you and Kris would get on. You’re PERFECT for each other. He can be a stroppy bastard, he needs someone like you to liven him up.”

Anna laughed at her friend’s enthusiasm. “And what do I need?”

“Someone solid and dependable, who’ll treat you well and look after you. With a big cock, hopefully.”

Anna blushed bright red. Alison watched her face for a moment then said “Oh my god, Anna, you didn’t. You DIDN’T.”

“Might’ve done,” Anna said in a small voice.

“So you already went out with him?”

“…no.”

“At the wedding?”

“At the wedding.”

“Dirty girl!”

“You needn’t sound so pleased with yourself.”

“I am VERY pleased with myself. I am the supreme matchmaker. I should have thrown the bouquet at you, not my cousin Liz. Then you could marry him and have lots of little blonde babies.”

“That’s just a tradition. It’s not actually legally binding.”

“So you DO want to marry him and have lots of little blonde babies.”

“Alison, please, I am trying to work, I am very busy and important.”

“Mm-hmm. So does he?”

“Does he what?”

“Have a big cock?”


	2. After dinner

“Just so you know, I never sleep with men on the first date.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to.”

“Well, good.”

She was holding his hand - she had been since they left the restaurant - and she was beaming up at him. The summer night was warm and he was walking her home, down the quiet tree-lined residential street to the flat she shared with her sister.

He wished he could capture this moment, save it somehow, put it away in an album for a rainy day. Her fingers in his. The soft swish, swish of the traffic out on the main road. The smiles that neither of them could hide.

“Do I at least get a kiss?”

“I’m not home yet. You’ll have to wait and see.”

She led him down the street and stopped outside a small modern block.

“My sister’s probably still up,” Anna said, “so I won’t invite you in.”

“Does she bite?”

She laughed. “No, but she’ll interrogate you and glare at you.”

“God, what did you tell her about me?”

“Good things! But my last boyfriend was, well. Not so good to me, towards the end. It’s nothing personal.”

Last boyfriend.

“So I suppose this is goodnight.”

He turned to face her and she took both his hands in hers.

“I had a lovely evening,” she said softly.

“Me too.”

He kissed her, and of course it wasn’t the first time - he almost regretted that, but only almost. It was a different sort of kiss, anyway; softer, sweeter. As Anna pulled away she made a noise somewhere between a hum and a sigh and he thought, no,  _this_ is the moment I want to save.

“Goodnight,” she said, and squeezed his hands before dropping them and turning to let herself into the building.

“Goodnight,” he said, and watched her go in, then walked home along the road alone, grinning like a fool.


	3. Two months later

His mobile was ringing. He’d been happily dozing in bed on a Sunday morning with a beautiful woman in his arms and now his mobile was ringing, pulling him back to full consciousness with a start.

Kristoff rolled away from Anna (who pulled the duvet over her head, muttering) and picked up his phone. “Hi, Mum.”

“Kristoff! What’s this I hear from your Auntie Lillian about you ringing her Samantha and asking if you can bring someone with you to her wedding?”

“Well - that’s basically it, Mum. That’s the whole thing that happened.”

“So does this mean we all finally get to meet the lovely Anna?”

His mother was talking as loudly as always and at her name, Anna emerged from the covers, looking amused.

“Yes, Mum.”

“I can’t believe you haven’t brought her round to meet us yet. We are all DYING to get to know her.”

Kristoff rubbed his hand over his face. He knew that, and it wasn’t that he didn’t want her to meet his family, he just wanted to keep her to himself for a bit. And it was far too early in the morning for this conversation.

Someone took the phone out of his hand.

“Good morning, Mrs Bjorgman! Yes, this is Anna - of course. Bulda. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.” She laughed, and turned away so he couldn’t take his phone back. “Oh, and you too, of course! Oh, no, I don’t think so - that would be lovely! Lovely. I’ll tell him. Thank you! See you later, OK, bye.”

Anna hung up the phone and handed it back. “What’s the time? I’d better go home and get changed.” She kissed him, and slid out of the bed. “You should get up too and have a shower. And pick me up about twelve.”

“What? What for?”

“We don’t want to be late. Your mum says she serves Sunday lunch at one.”


	4. Take My Hand

It had been exactly the kind of wedding Bulda Bjorgman loved. All the family were here, with all her children and grandchildren, and nieces and nephews and  _their_ children. The bride had looked beautiful - all brides did, of course, but when they were her sister’s baby girl then they were all the beautifuller - and the meal had been delicious. All in all, a lovely day for everybody.

Now it was a couple of hours into the evening reception. The music was still playing but most people were to the side of the dancefloor, sitting or standing, having a drink or enjoying the buffet.

From here she could see her son. He was sitting on a chair, turned round to face another, so that he could sit face-to-face with his girlfriend. Anna was talking, her face animated, her hands waving. And Kristoff…

“Penny for them,” Bulda’s husband Cliff said behind her.

“What do you think of her?” Bulda said. “Anna.”

“I think she’s a lovely girl.” He put his arm round his wife’s waist.

“The trouble with Kristoff,” Bulda said, “Is that he’s soft-hearted. He gets it from his father.”

“And how is it a problem?”

“It isn’t, but - some girls, they take advantage of that. I always worried about him. Worried that some young floozy with a pretty smile would string him along and break his heart. When he fell, he was always going to fall hard.”

“That’s true.”

“I just had to hope that he’d find a woman who would appreciate the value of what she had.”

“And?”

Bulda watched the young couple. Anna was leaning in now to speak more quietly, and she had taken one of Kristoff’s hands in both of hers, stroking it absent-mindedly as she talked. Every now and again she looked up and smiled at him, and he smiled back.

“I reckon she’ll do.”

 

A familiar song began to play. With one accord, Bulda and Cliff headed for the dancefloor.

As they passed, Cliff clapped his son on the shoulder. “Look lively, lad.”

“She didn’t wear that lovely dress to sit around in,” Bulda added. “Give her a dance.”

“But this is your song,” Kristoff said, turning to find that Anna was already standing up, so he let himself be led off.

_(Wise men say)_

“This is their song?” Anna said, putting her hands loosely round his neck.

_(only fools rush in)_

“Yeah, Dad must have requested it. They always dance to it.”

_(but I can’t help)_

He put his arms round her.

_(falling in love with you)_

“They’ve got a routine and everything.”

_(Shall I stay)_

“I know, I can see!”

_(would it be a sin)_

On a whim, he took one of her hands and spun her. She laughed as her skirt swirled out round her legs.

_(if I can’t help)_

And then back against his chest, warm and alive and smiling, eyes sparkling.

_(falling in love with you.)_


	5. Texts #1

good morning sunshine x

 

_hey anna x_

_you’re up early_

 

I’m on a train! Got to do a training course thing in tackleford x

 

_oh yeah you said_

 

right out in the country now

look sheeps [image]

cows [image]

lots of trees and stuff [image]

 

_I am actually working you know_

 

oh sorry

just really bored

 

_I know I can tell_

_I thought you had games on that thing_

 

no internet so they don’t work properly

but sorry I’ll let you work, ttyl x

 

_x_

 

ok you don’t have to reply if you’re busy

but

my work christmas thing is on the 17th

and I know you didn’t want to go

but I don’t want to go by myself

and we don’t have to stay the whole time we can just have dinner then maybe one drink

please?

I’ll make it worth your while xxxxx

 

_I didn’t say I wouldn’t go_

_and when you put it like that xx_

 

ok I will get you a ticket x it’ll be fun, you’ll see

oh this is my stop got to go xxx

  
_speak to you later beautiful x_


	6. Texts #2

Elsa just to remind you that I won’t be home tonight, going to Ks after work and will probably stay over x

 

_OK have fun, be safe x_

 

ELSA I’m a grown woman I know what I’m doing

I am not having a conversation about contraception with you

 

_Anna OMG_

_I meant DRIVE safe_

_But thanks for the mental images that I didn’t need_

_And that I can’t get out of my head now_

 

You and me both x

 

_You’re terrible_

 

You’re terribler

 

Stop thinking about my boyfriend naked

God Elsa

 

_This conversation is over_

_See you tomorrow_


	7. Prompt: You'll have to carry me

“Fuck! Bollocking buggering BALLS.”

“What?”

Anna leant sideways against Kristoff’s arm, and pulled off her left shoe. “The heel’s snapped clean off. Fuck.” She put the shoe back on her foot and tried to stand. “And don’t look at me like that. Just because I don’t often say the words doesn’t mean I don’t know them.”

“Can you walk in it?”

She tried a few steps. “Not really. You’ll have to carry me.”

“Really?”

“It’s only another quarter of a mile or so. Stop being such a baby and give me a piggy back.”

He sighed, but turned and crouched so she could climb up.

As they started to walk along, Anna leant her head against his and said “You’re the best. The best boyfriend.”

“I wouldn’t put it past you to break your shoe just because you were tired,” Kristoff grumbled.

“What! I’m insulted.”

Then she snorted.

“What?”

“Nothing, I just thought you liked it. You know. When I ride you.”

  
  


(BONUS:

“I told you Anna, I’m not going. No.”

“For goodness sake -”

“No! If you want me to go in that door, you’ll have to carry me.”

“Honestly! I’ve never known someone make such a fuss about having a haircut.”)


	8. Texts #3

if we’re taking my car then I’m driving x

 

_anna that’s what I’m worried about_

 

what! You know you’re safe with me

 

_I’m not worried about my safety_

_as such_

 

I’m a good driver!

you’re so rude

 

_I’m more worried about listening to your car playlist for three hours_

 

it won’t take three hours, it’s less than 100 miles

and you’re the one who booked a hotel that far away

 

_how was I supposed to know my clutch would explode halfway round the m25_

 

ooooooo I know what I’m going to do

I’m going to make a special anna & kristoff holiday playlist for the drive

it’s going to be brilliant

 

_anna no_

_let me do it_

 

no no no no I don’t think so

this is going to be so much fun

  
_oh god_


	9. Christmas Is All Around

“Kristoff’s going to see his giiiiiiiirlfriend!”

“Yes,” he said calmly, pulling on his coat. “I am. I’ll tell her you said hello.”

“Anna’s your giiiiiiiiiiiirlfriend.”

“Yes, yes she is.”

“You like to KISS her.”

“Jakob, leave your brother alone.”

“He’s all right, Mum.”

“Remember to tell them they can come back here for tea,” she continued.

“I’ll ask, but I don’t know if they will.”

“They should have come all day. I can’t believe they’ve been alone, just the two of them, at  _Christmas_.”

“I know, Mum. I did ask.”

“Well, you give them my love.”

“I will.”

–

To be honest, Kristoff could see the appeal of spending Christmas day with just one or two people. There had been nineteen sitting down for Christmas lunch at his parents’, and more coming and going throughout the day, and he was glad of an excuse to get away. The ten minute drive to Anna and Elsa’s flat was blissfully silent - he couldn’t even bring himself to put on the radio. Finally he was pulling up outside their building.

 

Anna must have been watching for him from the window, because she came running downstairs to let him in, opening the door just as he arrived at it. She flung herself at him and kissed him and, okay, a little bit of company wasn’t so bad.

“Merry Christmas!” she said cheerfully, sliding her arms round his waist under his open coat.

“Merry Christmas,” he replied, wrapping his arms round her and kissing the top of her head.  "Have you had a good day?“

"Oh yes, so good! We had turkey but we did too many roast potatoes. Elsa gave me the  _best_ presents. And now we’re eating Roses and watching The Sound of Music. You?”

“Not enough roast potatoes. Too many cousins.”

“Oh no!”

“But other than that, good. Especially now.”

She tilted her head up to smile at him and he kissed her again, just because he could; it had been over a year and part of him still couldn’t believe that this beautiful, bright, warm-hearted woman would choose to be with him.

“We should go up,” she said once they separated. “Elsa’s on her own.”

“My mother is quite insistent that you both come back with me, to hers, for tea,” Kristoff said as they climbed the stairs. “But you don’t have to.”

“I would,” Anna said, “but we’ll have to ask Elsa and she’d probably rather stay here.”

“I’d rather stay here, to be honest,” he confessed. “There are a LOT of people in that house.”

“Then stay,” she said. “We’ll have turkey and pickle sandwiches. And there’s still some Yule log.”

“No Christmas cake?”

“You like Christmas cake?” They had reached her landing and she unlocked the front door of the flat.

“No one does. But you have to have it.”

Anna laughed. “No we don’t, when it’s just us. Come in.” He followed her through to the living room.

“Hello, Kristoff,” Elsa said from the armchair, where she was curled up with a book. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas. I’m sorry to disturb your peace and quiet.”

“She doesn’t mind,” Anna said cheerfully, taking his coat and throwing it over the back of the sofa. “She’s glad someone else is here to entertain me so she can read her book. And now I can give you your present!” She ran out of the room to fetch it.

“Did you get Anna’s all sorted?” Elsa asked Kristoff quietly.

“Yes.” He retrieved his coat and pulled a slim package out of the pocket. “No problem.”

“Here it is!” said Anna, bursting back into the room. “Look, look.” She dragged him down onto the sofa and handed him a brightly wrapped present. “Open it!”

He’d barely managed to loosen the paper before she was talking again. “I remembered how you never know what time it is because you always break watches at work and you don’t like to get your phone out either, so look!” She pointed at the box. “It’s a watch you can’t break, see? You can hit it with a hammer and it won’t crack. Not that I have hit it with a hammer. But I did bang it on the wall a few times.”

“She really did,” Elsa supplied. “I saw her. You’re lucky we don’t own a hammer.”

“Thank you,” he said. “That’s really thoughtful. The watch, not necessarily that you tested it for me.”

“I had to test it, so I could send it back if it wasn’t as good as they said,” Anna explained. “Do you like it?”

“Of course I do,” he said and fastened it on his wrist. If she really had been knocking it against a wall, he couldn’t tell by looking. Maybe it would last longer than his previous watches had done.

When he looked up she was smiling at him expectantly.

“What?”

She raised her eyebrows and inclined her head at the parcel next to him on the sofa.

“Oh! Yes, I guess this is for you.” She hugged him and tore open the wrapping, then the envelope inside.

“Eurostar,” she said, taking out the tickets. “Are we going somew- OH MY GOD DISNEYLAND WE’RE GOING TO DISNEYLAND!”

She flung herself at him and he just about managed to catch her before she knocked them both onto the floor.

“Just for one night,” he said, “so you’ll have to get up early on the Saturday.”

“I don’t care! Oh, I’ve wanted to go to Disneyland Paris for SO LONG,  _thank you_.”

“You should thank Elsa,” he said, “I was thinking of taking you to Paris, proper Paris. But she suggested  _Disneyland_ Paris instead.”

She tucked the train and park tickets neatly back in the envelope and patted it. “Well, that’s the  _best_ kind of Paris. Thank you, Elsa.”

“You’re welcome,” her sister replied, and smiled at them both before disappearing again behind her novel.

Anna leant forwards into Kristoff’s arms and rested her head on his shoulder. After a moment she whispered in his ear, “I have another present for you, but you’ll have to wait. Until we’re  _alone_.”


	10. Prompt: Do you think she saw?

At the slam of the door, Anna pushed Kristoff off her and pulled herself back into a sitting position on the sofa.

“Was that Elsa?” she asked, pulling her top back down.

“I guess. But then where is she?”

“Um. I think that was her bedroom door shutting, not the front door.”

“Do you think she saw?”

Anna looked from the front door, which opened right into the living room, to Elsa’s bedroom door. “Well, she must have walked right past us.”

Kristoff buried his face in his hands. “Oh god.”

“We’ll go in my bedroom. Oh, wait - that’ll be worse, my headboard is against her wall.”

“It is?”

“Well, yes. You know which is her room.”

“I never thought about it. Oh god.”

“Cheer up. At least  _you_  still had all your clothes on.”


	11. Prompt: You fell asleep

(A few years later)

 

When he woke, Anna was smiling at him from the other pillow.

“Morning, beautiful,” he said, and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer.

“Yes,” she said, looking amused. “Morning.”

“What?”

She laughed. “You don’t remember?”

“Remember what?”

“You came home last night, so late, and you woke me up to kiss me, and you declared that you were going to spend all night making love to me. Then you fell asleep.”

“…oh. Sorry.”

“It’s OK. I mean, I went back to sleep, I didn’t lie here all night racked with sexual frustration or anything. I just thought it was funny.”

He pulled her flush against him, and kissed her, and was just pulling away to declare an intention of spending all  _day_  making love to her when the bedroom door flew open and a little blonde head appeared by the side of the bed.

“Baby Charlie’s awake,” it said cheerfully. “Look, Daddy, while you were away I learnt how to open doorhandles.”


	12. My True Love Gave To Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (follows Christmas Is All Around) Summary: Anna still owes Kristoff a Christmas present. So she gives him one.

Kristoff’s phone rang during the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special. He was sitting on the sofa; half-an-hour ago Anna had been sat next to him, but she had gradually slumped until now she was lying down with her head in his lap. The tin of chocolates had, on her insistence, been moved out of her reach (“Please, or I’ll just eat them all and make myself sick,”) and now she was just playing with his hand drowsily, her fingers warm.

The brisk ringtone interrupted her and she hauled herself back into a sitting position as he fumbled in his pocket for his mobile.

“Hi, Mum…nah, I’m probably going to stay here - oh, you’ve seen enough of me -”

Elsa was waving to get his attention. “Hang on -”

“You two go if you want to. I’ll be fine,” she said.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. I’ve a bit of a headache, to be honest, I’ll probably go to bed soon.”

“It’s only seven,” Anna said.

“I’m fine. You two go.”

“If you’re sure.” Anna said a little doubtfully, but then she smiled. “Tell your mum me and you are coming.”

Kristoff nodded and put the phone back to his ear. “Mum? Anna and I are coming back to yours if that’s okay.” He sat in silence for a minute rolling his eyes then said “She’s fine. Really. We’ll see you in a bit. Okay, bye, see you later, bye.” He hung up. Anna was already bustling about, finding her shoes.

“We don’t have to go right this minute.”

“I’m up now,” she said cheerfully. “Elsa, are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine! Goodness. Go, have fun. I’ll see you later.”

—-

Halfway down the stairs Anna said “Can we stop somewhere on the way?”

“What? Nowhere’ll be open.”

“Well, I was thinking,” she said, “that I still owe you a Christmas present. If we stopped at your flat on the way to your parents’ I could, you know.” She grinned. “Give it to you.”

He smiled, amused. “That’s why you were in such a hurry to leave.”

Anna shrugged. “What do you think?”

“I think that, you know, I should always indulge a generous impulse. Especially at Christmas.”

—-

He unlocked his front door and let Anna pull him through it, slamming the door shut behind them. She led him by the hand, straight to the bedroom, and he was amused by her single-minded determination.

“We have a bit of time,” he said as she pushed him down to sit on the edge of the bed. “There’s no rush.”

“I wanted to show you something,” Anna said, standing in front of him. She was wearing a dark blue jersey dress that fell to her knees; as he watched, she pulled it off over her head and dropped it to the floor. “Merry Christmas.”

He took in her blue lacy bra and knickers, her lacy black hold-ups. “Merry Christmas to me,” he said, and rose to his feet and reached out for her, but she pushed him back down onto the bed. “No, this is your present. Lie down on your back.”

“You’re very bossy today,” he said, but he did as he was told.

“I can stop if you like. I can put my frock back on -” she knelt next to him and started unbuttoning his shirt - “and instead we can go and drink tea with your entire extended family.”

“It wasn’t a complaint.” He ran his hand up her thigh. “Just an observation.”

“Good.” She bent down to kiss him, her breasts brushing against his chest, and he wrapped an arm round her waist, holding her down against him.

After a moment she broke away and pushed his arm back, then kissed her way down his chest, pausing only to finish his shirt buttons and push the fabric to each side. When he started to sit up to take off his shirt she pushed him back down - “Leave it, it doesn’t matter for now,” - and undid the fly buttons on his jeans instead.

And then he was more than happy to lie back and let her do whatever she wanted, as she slid her hand down under his waistband, and ran her open palm along his ready erection. He groaned when she took her hand away, but it was only to hook her thumbs in the side of his jeans and underwear, and yank both down to his knees.

Then she paused for a moment, kneeling with her legs straddling his.

“Do you love me?”

“What? You know I do.”

“And how about now?” she said with a grin, then bent forward and slowly took him into her mouth.

“Yes,” he managed to say, as she stroked her tongue over his cock, tilting her head to take him further in. “God, yes, I LOVE you, _Anna_ ….” He reached out blindly and she gave him her other hand, squeezing his fingers before leaning back, licking her lips.

“Now,” she began, then paused. “Hang on.” She moved away to kick off her knickers, then she was straddling him again, kissing him deeply on the lips as she guided him slowly inside her.

“This is the best Christmas ever,” he muttered as she straightened up and began rocking her hips against him. “I mean -” he ran his hands up her thighs and cupped her bum - “when I was seven I got a remote-control car and I thought  _that_ was pretty great, but -”

Anna reached for his hand and tried to bring it between her legs but he pulled it away. “You do it.”

“What?”

“You said this is my present. I want to see you do it. Touch yourself for me.”

Anna hesitated a moment, then slid her hand down, head bowed as she stroked a finger over her centre. He watched through half-closed eyes as she started to move her hand in time with the rise and fall of her hips, her other palm braced on his chest.

She cried out his name as she came, her head thrown back, and he only needed to hold her in place for one, two more thrusts before he was there with her. She collapsed forward and rested her forehead on his and he cupped the back of her head, fingers tangled in her hair, as their breathing slowed.

“Better than a remote-control car?” Anna said eventually.

“Definitely. Better than Disneyland?”

She hesitated. “The correct answer is ‘definitely’,” he reminded her.

“Well. I haven’t been to Disneyland yet. I’ll keep you posted.”


	13. Moving In

It started simply enough. Anna brought her toothbrush, and then left it behind; and she complained that she didn’t like the taste of his toothpaste, so he bought some of her brand and put it in the bathroom.

—

Because they always ended up back at his, just for the privacy. Elsa liked him well enough, once she got to know him, but making small talk while drinking tea was one thing and knowing she was trying to sleep on the other side of a thin plasterboard bedroom wall was quite another. His flat is slightly closer to Anna’s work, anyway, in the other direction, so after a while she just started coming straight there when she was seeing him in the evening.

And sometimes she got there before him, so of course he had to give her a key.

—

The bed seemed too small with both of them sleeping in it, and it kept him awake, not wanting to accidentally kick her or crowd her out. And she snored. And she couldn’t seem to sleep unless she was touching him, whether it was her foot pressed against his leg or holding hands or curled up against his shoulder.

—

Anna gave Amazon his address so that Elsa wouldn’t accidentally see her birthday present and then never bothered to change it back. Every now and again a parcel or an envelope would arrive for Anna Rendell and he would put it to one side on the telephone table.

—

She started texting him when she wasn’t coming over, rather than when she was.

—

Somehow over the last few months he went from finding the odd pair of lacy knickers in his laundry basket to only having half a wardrobe and two drawers to call his own; and the top of the chest of drawers was now covered in make-up, toiletries and jewellery in what looked to him like a big pile but was apparently a very detailed, organised system that would be completely ruined if he tried to tidy it up (he only tried once).

–

“I can’t find my blue bag,” she said. “I must have left it at Elsa’s, I’ll go over tomorrow.”

—

The bed seemed too large when he was sleeping in it alone. Half-asleep, he would reach for her, and find only the cold sheets on her side (when had it become her side?). Getting up in the morning was lonely without someone to talk to, someone to make tea for, someone to watch in the shower while he shaved.

But she would be there the next day. And probably the day after.

—

“Oh, by the way, I sent in the thing,” she said, lounging against his shoulder on the sofa one evening while she played a game on her phone.

“The thing?”

“The electoral roll thing, where they need to know who lives here for voting. You know, it arrived a couple of days ago. I put our names on it and sent it back.”

“Our names?”  _But you don’t live here_ , he wanted to say, and then he all of a sudden realised how long it had been since Anna had slept at her sister’s (at least a month - maybe two), followed by the realisation that he had automatically thought of the other flat as Elsa’s alone.

Anna looked at him anxiously. “That was right, wasn’t it?”

“Yes,” he said, “sorry. Thanks for doing that, beautiful.”

She smiled and turned back to her game.


	14. Loud

“Grace?”

“Mummy, Daddy. I can’t sleep.”

The flash of lightning illuminated the little girl standing in the bedroom doorway. Kristoff groaned and looked at the clock. Just after three.

Thunder rolled again and Grace shrank back, leaning on the handle of the open door.

 

“Are you scared, sweetheart? Come here,” Anna said, holding out an arm and lifting the duvet.

“I’m not  _scared_ , Mummy. Only _babies_  are scared of thunderstorms. It’s just very loud and I can’t sleep when it’s _so loud_.”

“Come here,” Anna said again.

“I’m not scared.” Grace insisted, twisting the door handle again.

“I know, darling girl. But it hasn’t been keeping us awake -”

“Until just now,” Kristoff muttered.

“- so maybe it’s not as loud in our bed.”

 

Grace bit her lip, then dived under the end of the duvet and wriggled her way up the bed, between her parents.

Lightning, then the thunder again, cracking loud over their heads. Grace squealed and burrowed down under the covers, kicking her legs.

“Grace, you can stay, but you have to lie quietly and go to sleep.”

“Okay, Daddy.”

Anna wrapped an arm loosely around her daughter and was asleep again within moments.

 

“Daddy,” in a stage whisper.

“Grace.”

“Is it morning time?”

“No. Go to sleep.”

 

“Daddy, your face is all scratchy.”

“ _Grace_. Go to sleep.”


End file.
